Dimpling machine



July 8, 1941. E, P, ML 2,248,147

DIMPLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1939 f 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR' ATTORNEY July 8, 1941. IL ON 2,248,147

' I DIMPLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Kama/v0 j? l V/zsa/v Patented July 8, 1941 DIMPLING MACHINE Edmund P. Wilson, Forty Fort, Pa., assignor to American Chain & Cable Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York 7 Application December 21, 1939, Serial No. 310,366

' 12 Claims. (Cl. 140-113) This invention relates to an apparatus for anchoring to stranded wire structures and the like attachments of various kinds either on the end or at any point onthe length of said' structures, or for connecting two' such structures together, by indenting the exterior of such attachments.

In the patent to Conner #1,643,150 of September 20, 1927, a method is disclosed for securing a plain cylindrical fitting on to a stranded wire structure to develop the full strength of the stranded wire structure. In methods of this character the entire fitting is swaged so as to reduce its external and internal diameters to constrict the fitting on the stranded wire structure. When the stranded wire structure consists of steel Wires the sleeve which is converted into an attachment preferably consists of softer steel which however must have suflicient thickness and rigidity to develop the full strength of the structure. These methods can be carried out only in the factory by means of heavy and expensive machinery.

It is therefore one object of my invention to provide a portable apparatus for securing such attachments onto stranded wire structures in the field and in order that this may be done, I have provided an apparatus for securing an attachment to a stranded wire structure in accordance with the means and method disclosed in a co-pending application Ser. No. 203,622 filed April 22, 1938, in which the sleeve or attachment is held on the wire structure by projections on the inner surface of the sleeve produced by indentations in the outer surface of the sleeve, such projections deforming, the cross sectional shape of the sleeve and stranded wire structure and into non-circular and triangular form when there are three indentations in a transverse row, etc., such deformed cross sectional areas being orientated with respect to each other and the indentations of adjacent rows being staggered.

Other objects or, the invention consist in providing an apparatus in which provision is made for connecting attachments of different diameters to stranded wire structures of different diameters, to providemeans for indexing the sleeve with respect to the dimpling members and to provide means for preventing bending of the sleeve as it is being secured to'the stranded wire structure. g

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevationalview of the apparatus showing parts in' vertical section;

Fig. 2' is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and s Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of end fitting connected to a cable by means of the apparatus disclosed.

The apparatus disclosed includes a frame comprising an elongated rectangular base-member l0 and an upwardly extending triangular plate H which may be located on oneside of the longitudinal center line of the base H] to prevent the apparatus from being tilted to the left, Fig. 2,

when pressure is applied on the operating ratchet lever I2 located on the other side of the longitudinal center line of the base.

Journaled in the plate I! are shafts l3 and M which constitute the operating shafts of the apparatus. The shaft I3 is provided with acylindrical bearing portion l5 journaled in the plate II and an adjacent cylindrical portion l6 to which is keyed a gear 11', a bearing washer l8 and nut l9 threaded on the shaft being provided to hold thegear H in position on the shaft and against one side of the plate II and to hold the shaft in position on the plate by drawing a collar 20 0p theshaft againstthe opposite side of threaded in theend of the shaft l3.

the plate II as is apparent from Fig. 2. The other end of the shaft i3 is squared at 22 to receive a rotatable dimpling wheel 23"and aratchet drum 24 which are held in position against the collar 20 by a washer 25 and screw boltZB ing with the ratchet drum 24 is a ratchet plunger pawl 28 pressed into'engagement with the teeth of the ratchet drum by'a spring 29 operating between a shoulder on the ratchet pawl 28 and the inner end of the manipulating portion 30 of the handle 12 which is threaded in the housing 3| of the pawl rotatably mounted on cylindrical shoulders 32 of the ratchet drum 24. The manipulating portion 30 of the handle is hollow through which extends the stemiiii of the ratchet pawl 28, the upper end of which is equipped with a knurled head 36 by means of which the pawl may be withdrawn from the ratchet drum. Extending through the head 36 is a pin 3'! which is seated in a groove 38 in the outer end of the handle portion 30 to holdthe ratchet pawl in proper working position. The pawl may be with.- drawn from the ratchet drum and rotated and held in such position by the pin 3! bearing on the end of the manipulating portion -30.

Cooperat- The lower shaft I4 is provided with a cylindrical portion journaled in the plate II and with an adjacent cylindrical portion 4| to which is keyed a gear 42 in mesh with the gear II. This gear is held in position against one side of the plate II by means of a washer 43 and nut 44 which draws a collar 45 on the shaft against the opposite side of the plate II. The other end of the shaft 46is squared and mounted on this squared portion. is a dimpling wheel 5'0 held in position against the .collar 45 by means of a Washer 5| and a screw bolt 52 as indicated.

The dimpling wheels 23 and are of the same general construction eachbeingof a composite 7 construction comprising a pair of discs 55 and 56 which constitute flanges of a channelthe-bottom of which is a sleeve member 51 upon which rest the various pin carrying segments 60, B I, and 62 which are held in position by pins 6,3supported in segmental peripheral portions of said discs as disclosed more particularly in Fig. 1- which are of the same length as the segmentssuppor-ted between the discs. The segments Strare provided with radial holes in whichare seatedpi'nsfifl, the upper segment '60 supporting three pinsanda. the lower segment supporting. four pins, the first of the pins in the lower segment 'beingspaced at a distance from an abutment plate 65 secured by a screw bolt 66 to said segment, which'is' less than the distance by which the first pin'oi theiupper segmentis spaced from-the abutment plate 65 by-an amount equal to half of the distance between centers of adjacent 'pins so that when these segments operate upon'anend fittingthe pins will be disposed in staggeredrelation. These? segments 60 are intended to-operate upon end fittings for cables of A of an inchdiameter and each of the segments 60 is provided-with'a groove ID of approximatelythe same diameter as the end fitting andeach of the abutment plates '65 is? provided witha groove H of approximately the same diameter as 'the diameter of the cable :to which thefitting'is to be applied.

The segments "6| which are=shown as operating upon the sleeve member T2 to be secured to an.

' rows of dimplesare'made. at120 angularly from cable l3 of /;;inch diameter are prov-ided'with grooves-having ja diameter equal to that of the sleeve 12'and--theend :plates or-abutments are provided with grooves which have a :diameter equal to that of the cable -13 providing abutments for the endsof the sleeve'and it is preferable to provide each of these segments with five-pins arranged in staggered relationas indicated; The segments '62 have grooves-of dimensions to receivea sleeve to be fitted on-to a cable of an inch-in diameter, and-the associated abutments have grooves of %2 of an-inch in diameter; It has been found that'aseries-of five pins on each segment is suflicient to secure the sleeve onto a cable of this size. InFig. 5 I have disclosed an end fitting secured to a cable'by meansof the segments disclosed in operatingposition.in-Figa3.

For the purpose of indexing'or'rotati-ng' the fittings so that the dimples willbe located=in the proper positions circumferentially about the sleeve and staggeredlongitudinally, I have-provided an adapter 'which for the purpose of preventing bending ofthe fitting as it is being applied, I have pivoted at 8| in'line with the point 'at which thebending would occurinthe absence of the adapter. This adapter is provided with a transversely extending fiange'82 provided with an opening through which projectsthe cylindrical body member'83 of a knurled manipulating indexing member84. This indexing member is proments.

vided with a pin projecting into an opening 86 in the flange 82 to hold the indexing member against rotation. The flange is provided with three such openings 86 in the case where there are three dimples in each transverse row and six longitudinal rows. The indexing member is held against Withdrawal from the flange by means of a pint! located so as to permit partial withdrawal in order that the indexing-member may be rotated into any one of its three positions. Mounted within the indexing member is a slidable rod 90 keyed to the indexing member for rotation therewith and slidable therein in order that it may follow the movement of the sleeve as it is being secured to the cable. The forward end of this .member is provided with a slotted head 9| which may receive the head 82 of the fitting 12, the head of the fitting being secured to thehead of the sliding member by means of a threaded pin 93.

In the operation of the machine the sleeve to be connectedyto the cablewandwiththe end of the cable inserted *therein,--is connected to the indexing member and itsinner end is :pushed against the .abutmentsorstops -65' of the appropriate pair of segments whieh'have been previously brought into a'positionjust shortof that shown in Figs l and B. The segments are'then rocked-by means oftheratchet-lever i2 and-the sleeve indented-"by the dimplingpins as isobvious. These segments are rotated-until the rear -ends of the segments .are free ofthe rear end ofthe sleeve and permit sidewise'removal :of the end fitting-and-cable-out of thepla-neof the seg- Then bymeans-of the ratehet'leverthe segments areagain broughtto theposition in which theinforward endsengage'andjust prior tothis the cable-may bermovedback into line with the grooves in the segments. The indexing member then is rotated l20vto-rotate the :sleeveand the sleeve is moved forward against the abutments 65 so that upon the next operationoi the ratchet lever dimpleswill be impressed in the sleeve at angularly from'the first rows of dimples, The operation isrepeated; and thenext the secondrows of dimples. This completes the dimpling operation, securely fastening the attachment-to the 'cable. 1 -Ifit is desired-to apply a smaller or larger number of-longitudinal rows of dimples it is merely-necessary to provide a smaller or larger number-of openingsrfifi in the flange-Blequaldn number to one-half of the numberoflongitudinal rows of pins and to'space them'apart the. samenumber of degrees.

It is obvious thatif the apparatus is intended for use only in securing sleeves of the same diameter andlengths. tocables ofthe-same diameter, thatthe segmentswould'all wbe. of the same lengths and-the numberof pins-in-the pairs of segments-would be the same: and that the spaces between the segments would be equaL.

In the apparatus disclosedthe circumferential 7 length of the segments 60,6! and62 and the :spacesbetween the segments, i. e., in backof the the lengths of their diameter. The lengths of the pins preferably decrease as the diameters of sleeves increase to produce the proper depth dimples in varying diameter sleeves.

I have used the term cable in the description and claims in a generic sense for convenience, to cover stranded wire structures comprising a single strand with or without cores and either solid or hollow and also plural stranded structures such as ropes and cables and single elements upon which sleeves can be secured by indenting as described.

lVhile I have disclosed my invention with ref erence to a specific form of apparatus described in detail, and as modifications thereof will be suggested to those obtaining knowledge of this invention, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to all such changes as fall within the principles of my invention and the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed members disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said members being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve and a series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves.

2. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed members disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said members being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve and a series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves, the projections on each member being staggered with respect to the projections on the other member.

3. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed segments disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said segments being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve and a series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves, the projections on each segment being staggered with respect to the projections on the other segment.

4. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed segments disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said segments being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve, a series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves, the projections on each segment being staggered with respect to the projections on the other segment, and abutment members carried by the forward ends of said segments and provided with grooves of the same diameter as the cable.

5. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed segments disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said segments being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve, 2. series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves, the projections on each segment being staggered with. respect to the projections on the other segment, and driving connections between said segments.

6. In a dimpling apparatus for securing a sleeve on to a cable, comprising cooperating rockably mounted segments provided with projections adapted to indent opposite sides of the sleeve upon movement of said segments, means for guiding the sleeve during its movement with said segments and for holding the sleeve against rotation, and means for rotating the sleeve into a different angular position whereby during a second operation of said segments upon the sleeve the sleeve will be indented on opposite sides in positions angularly related to the indentations made by the first operation of said segments.

'7. In a dimpling apparatus for securing sleeves of different diameters on cables of different diameters, comprising opposed rockably mounted members each comprising a plurality of spaced segments provided with exterior grooves of different diameters corresponding to the different diameters of the sleeves, and projections at the bottoms of the grooves, the space between the segments on each member and at the rear of the respective segments being of a length proportionate to the length of the sleeve indented by the projections on said segments.

8. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, a pair of members arranged to operate on opposite sides of the sleeve, each member being provided with holes extending through the member normal to the face opposing the face of the other member, a support for each member, and pins in said holes resting on said support and projecting beyond said opposing face.

9. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, a pair of members arranged to operate on opposite sides of the sleeve, a series of projections carried on the opposed faces of said members, means for moving corresponding sections of said members toward each other to indent opposite sides of the sleeve, and means for holding the sleeve against rotation and in different angular positions during successive operations of said members for producing a plurality of pairs of series of indentations.

10. In a dimpling machine for securing a sleeve upon a cable, comprising rockably mounted opposed segments disposed for cooperation with opposite sides of the sleeve, said segments being provided with opposed grooves of the same diameter as the sleeve, a series of projections at the bottoms of said grooves, the projections on each segment being staggered with respect to the projections on the other segment, means for supporting the sleeve for movement with the segments, and a pivot supporting said means in the vicinity in which the projections engage the sleeve.

11. In a dimpling machine, a frame comprising an elongated base, a plate projecting vertically from said base at one side of the longitudinal center line of said base, a pair of shafts journaled in said plate, a pair of cooperating rockable dimpling members carried by said shafts on the side of said plate furthest from an edge of said base, and a manipulating means mounted on one of said shafts on the same side of said plate for operating said dimpling members.

12. In a dimpling machine, a frame comprising an elongated base, a plate projecting vertically from said base at one side of the longitudinal center line of said base, a pair of shafts journaled in said plate, a pair of cooperating rockable dimpling members carried by said shafts on the side of said plate furthest from an edge of said base, a manipulating means mounted on one of said shafts on the same side of said plate for operating said dimpling members, and intermeshing gears on said shaft and located on the opposite side of said plate.

EDMUND P. WILSON. 

